Want to know which transmitters will carry extra Freeview HD?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV I am working on integrating this information into UK Free TV. Note there are a number of sites with restricted radiation patterns. This information may take a couple of days to generate coverage maps for.
I have used the "Nominal ERPs" (the power levels most likely to be employed in practice by the licensee).
Taken from Ofcom - Award of the 600 MHz spectrum band - it's bad news for The Wrekin and Sudbury, but good news for:
Angus com7: C31 4500W at 230m
Angus com8: C37 4500W at 230m
Beacon Hill com7: C33 4300W at 100m
Beacon Hill com8: C34 1000W at 100m
Belmont com7: C33 15400W at 342m
Belmont com8: C35 15400W at 342m
Bilsdale com7: C31 5000W at 296m
Bilsdale com8: C37 5000W at 296m
Black Hill com7: C32 9400W at 264m
Black Hill com8: C35 12500W at 264m
Bluebell Hill com7: C32 1400W at 49m
Bluebell Hill com8: C34 1400W at 49m
Caldbeck com7: C32 5400W at 331m
Caldbeck com8: C35 3600W at 331m
Caradon Hill com7: C31 10500W at 234m
Caradon Hill com8: C37 2500W at 234m
Craigkelly com7: C33 2300W at 131m
Craigkelly com8: C34 3000W at 131m
Crystal Palace com7: C33 15600W at 212m
Crystal Palace com8: C35 13500W at 204m
Darvel com7: C31 2600W at 110m
Darvel com8: C37 2600W at 110m
Divis com7: C33 4400W at 148m
Divis com8: C34 3400W at 148m
Durris com7: C32 12500W at 315m
Durris com8: C35 12500W at 315m
Emley Moor com7: C32 16700W at 279m
Emley Moor com8: C34 16700W at 279m
Fenham com7: C31 80W at 51m
Fenham com8: C37 80W at 51m
Fenton com7: C32 140W at 50m
Fenton com8: C34 140W at 50m
Hannington com7: C32 10000W at 142m
Hannington com8: C34 5500W at 142m
Mendip com7: C33 17500W at 192m
Mendip com8: C35 17500W at 192m
Moel-y-Parc com7: C32 7300W at 236m
Moel-y-Parc com8: C34 5000W at 236m
Oxford com7: C31 5800W at 161m
Oxford com8: C37 5800W at 161m
Pontop Pike com7: C33 9500W at 145m
Pontop Pike com8: C34 9500W at 145m
Ridge Hill com7: C32 4200W at 162m
Ridge Hill com8: C34 4200W at 162m
Rowridge com7: C31 25000W at 156m
Rowridge com7: C31 25000W at 156m
Rowridge com8: C37 25000W at 156m
Rowridge com8: C37 25000W at 156m
Sandy Heath com7: C32 8400W at 220m
Sandy Heath com8: C34 8400W at 220m
Sheffield com7: C31 200W at 48m
Sheffield com8: C37 200W at 48m
Sutton Coldfield com7: C33 6400W at 264m
Sutton Coldfield com8: C35 8300W at 264m
Tacolneston com7: C31 10000W at 200m
Tacolneston com8: C37 10000W at 200m
Waltham com7: C31 1400W at 260m
Waltham com8: C37 1400W at 260m
Wenvoe com7: C31 4200W at 258m
Wenvoe com8: C37 12200W at 258m
Winter Hill com7: C31 14000W at 237m
Winter Hill com8: C37 14000W at 237m
| Whenever i watch moving sport especially football I experience much poorer pictu | 1 |
9:58 PM
Still no BBC4 HD from Kilvay Hill in Swansea south wales when will it be upgraded for the extra HD Freeview channels ?
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12:54 PM
Is it likely that we will get the missing Freeview HD channels any time soon? And, if not, why not? Is there some intractable technical obstacle or are we just undeserving?
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8:29 PM
Bingley
Just echoing Phil's question above. We're in sight of the Keighley transmitter, so missing the new HD channels too. Anyone know if or when we'll get them? Thanks
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Gary's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
9:11 PM
Gary: Unfortunately Keighley isn't one of the transmitters which will carry the new HD services. If you can receive from Emley Moor then you might get them.
Changes may happen, IIRC, in 2018 at the earliest. The idea behind the new multiplexes is to encourage purchasing of Freeview HD equipment (with DVB-T2 type tuners). It's basically a pre-switchover state.
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10:12 PM
Bingley
Thanks Dave. Just moved here and had the channels when living near Leeds. We're down in the valley so don't think Emley is in sight? It's a bit frustrating especially if other channels come on stream before 2018.
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Gary's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
1:50 PM
Gary: The current quasi-national network of 30 transmitters was built on a shoestring with hardware that had previously been used for pre-digitalswitchover services. Plus, during the allocation of TV frequencies there was a gap left from channel 31 to 37 - the new HD muxes occupy this space.
A plot of the terrain between you and Emley Moor is here:
Terrain between ( m a.g.l.) and (antenna m a.g.l.) - Optimising UK DTT Freeview and Radio aerial location
The obstruction is between 2.5 and 4 miles out. This includes Daisy Hill and almost intersects Lynfield Mount Hospital (click "View a map of area..." below the plot).
If you do have an aerial installed for Emley Moor, I would keep the Keighley one just in case reception is poor. Obviously it "could" vary by time of day, time of year, the weather etc.
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5:02 PM
Bingley
Thanks for that infoDave, very helpful. It sounds like the Keighley mast is in need of some investment, which wont be done in a hurry given the current economy. I have noticed houses here near the canal have aerials pointing the way of Emley moor, so must be a feasible signal, probably not that strong though like you say and may not be enough for all channels?
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Gary's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
5:40 PM
Gary: Perhaps they face Emley Moor because that is the better ("less worse") of the two. A terrain plot Keighley transmitting station to Canal Road shows that Rivock Edge, which is a stones-throw from the transmitter, is obstructing line-of-sight.
The obstruction to Emley Moor is a little worse than at your location, what with the ground rising up about half a mile away.
The point is that signals travel in straight lines. Receiving where there is no line-of-sight can be fraught with issues because you are relying on signal bending around objects (diffraction) and bending through objects (refraction). Because objects on the ground are changing, whether it's vehicles moving, trees blowing about or rain falling on buildings, then the signal received can vary.
So there are no guarantees and you must be aware of the potential issues you could experience, although you might find that reception is stable due to the high power of the transmitter.
And while the strength of the signal can vary, the quality is important. In days of analogue you might have experienced the picture going grainy and/or varying ghosting due to multipath (the signal taking more than one path which don't arrive at the same time). With digital the digits can be lost, hence picture break-up. If the signal level is generally too low this can be corrected by amplification, whereas poor quality cannot. So a strong poor quality signal is no good. A weak good quality one can be used possibly subject to amplification.
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7:36 PM
Bingley
Good point. It's a bit of a rock/hard place scenario. The signal from Keighley is pretty good.When we first moved I looked for Emley moor, but there's no obvious line of sight. I might get an engineer to come and check out the strength/quality.
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Gary's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
12:22 AM
Gary: I think that's your best course of action.
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